Hermansson, Thomas

Abstract [en]

Who has the power of public administration? This question has long been of interest to political science research. The ideal models in public administration are the principle that policy determines what to do and when it should be done while the administration is responsible for how and by whom it should be performed. In this work, I examine the role of the secretary in the municipal power structure based on the following questions:

• What institutional space, or power and influence, is required to influence the policy process or individual policy decisions? • What institutional space, or power and influence, has the board secretaries? • What pressure is the board secretary expose to?

To answer my questions, I interviewed the board secretaries of the local government. Through interviews I intend gain a deeper understanding of the nature of the assignment. Interviews have been conducted against promise of anonymity, as the research area itself may affect sensitive parts of the profession through the informal power relationships I intend to investigate. The conclusions I could draw from my investigations are that the board secretaries hold a relatively strong position of power, but also that the secretaries, according to their own opinion, refrain from using this for personal interests. This of loyalty to the political system.